The Canadians are Auto$mart!

The Canadian Office of Energy Efficiency has some great guides, videos and tips for more efficient driving and gas saving. As they so succinctly put it:

Your driving habits – when and where you drive, how often, the speed you travel, your aggressiveness on the road and other factors – have a lot to do with your vehicle’s fuel consumption and costs.

They break it down to these 9 main tips:

1. Plan trips carefully.
2. Use public transit whenever possible.
3. Avoid aggressive driving.
4. Drive at the posted speed limit.
5. Keep idling to a minimum.

6 Gas-saving Myths

According to CNN, these are 6 common gas-saving myths:

1. Fill your tank in the morning
2. Change your air filter
3. Use premium fuel
4. Pump up your tires
5. To A/C or not A/C
6. Bolt-ons and pour-ins

Read the full article for the answers and rebuttals to these myths – and then decide for yourself!

The truth about “Gas-Saving” Products

So-called “Gas Saving Products”

You know the old saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is”? Well, I think I can safely say that is true too for the great majority of so-called “gas-saving” products, and the federal Trade Commission (FTC) agrees:

Gas prices are up, and so is the volume of advertising for “gas-saving” products. When gasoline prices rise, consumers often look for ways to improve fuel efficiency. Although there are practical steps you can take to increase gas mileage, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns you to be wary of any gas-saving claims for automotive devices or oil and gas additives. Even for the few gas-saving products that have been found to work, the savings have been small.

Calculate your gas MPG

Want to know your automobile’s fuel consumption, but don’t have one of those built-in mile/gallon gizmos in your car? Here’s one way of calculating your gas mileage:

1. Fill the gas tank to the top, beings careful not to let it overflow. The safest way is to let the automatic nozzle of the gas pump decide – when the trigger releases, it’s full;
2. Immediately make a note of your exact mileage or set the odometer to zero (0);
3. When you again have to get gas, fill it up to the max as before, AND note the exact GALLONS of gas pumped;